Kids first gun

Have 2 Hunt · 08-07-2003, 12:51 AM

I have three daughters,ages 19 months, 5 years and 11 years. When did you get your first gun. I got mine at about 13. I know it is different for every kid but I think my oldest is ready, (with close adult supervision), (she loves shooting). I live on a farm though where all the neighbors have had and allways will have, (as it should be) the right to take a gun from a kid cought doing anythig unsafe and beat them. It never happened when I was growing up but I would' nt test it.
Just curious, I ordered 3 guns today, atleast 2 will be in the gun safe for awhile but they will be there.

FL/GA Hunter · 08-07-2003, 12:55 AM

I got my first BB gun at 6, my .410 shotgun at 8, a .44 mag semiauto rifle at 10. I was also always a big (stocky) kid, and very mature for my age.

410ER · 08-07-2003, 05:20 AM

410 @ 2 yrs of age

Noleball · 08-07-2003, 06:42 AM

I got my first BB gun at 8 followed by a .410 bolt action at 10. I was not allowed to have a high-powered rifle for awhile and was relugated to using a 20guage and sloge until i was 13 or so and then I received an old 30-30 bolt action for deer hunting.

My brother and I are trying to determine what do do with my nephew (sister' s kid) at this time as well. He is 7 but is extremely well-behaved and mature and we think he is about ready for a small shotgun. He can already shoot a .22 as well as many adults while we are target shooting and he is very well versed in gun safety so far.

We may be getting him a .410 before squirrel season this year and take him out to see how he does.

I don' t see that there is a " set" age for kids and guns. I have seen seven year olds that would be good with one such as my nephew and I have hunted with 50 year olds that should not be allowed to own a weapon. Each case is unique and you have to judge it on your own. But it does sound like the elven year old is ready for one.

rhetoric · 08-07-2003, 07:12 AM

My only advice would be " stay away from semi-automatics" with kids. The temptation to get careless w/ bullets is increased when you can buzz through a big clip in a few seconds. A couple years ago in Buffalo a father was with his 10ish son at an indoor range trying to do everything properly (standing behind the kid, keeping him from spinning around w/ a " did you see that shot?" and etc.) and the boy fired the semi-automatic pistol (don' t remember what caliber) and the first shot kicked the gun straight back over the top so that the barrel hit his forehead -- the impact of the barrel on his head jarred his finger on the trigger and before anybody knew what was happening the boy was dead on the floor. Whenever I take my kids to the range it' s w/ Grandpa' s old single shot Winchester .22 (60A). I just think kids are more careful about the weapon when they have to shoot one bullet at a time.

8mm/06 · 08-07-2003, 08:18 AM

I got my first gun that I actually owned myself when I was 15. I bought it myself form weeks of lawn cutting and window washing. I still have it today. It is a Steyr Model 1903, made in 1909 and chambered in 7 X 57 and still one of the smoothest bolt actions I have ever felt. I am toying with scoping it and cutting and turning the bolt form its original configuration. At 50 I don' t shoot so good with iron sights like I did when I was 15-25.
I recieved my first gift gun when I was 16. Still have it also. It is a Stevens/Savage double barrel SXS 20 gauge. Handles 3" shells and shoots odified from the front trigger (forget which barrel that is) and full choke from the rear trigger. If i lost all my other guns today, but kept those 2, I' d still be set to hunt most anything cept the real big stuff.

mauser06 · 08-08-2003, 10:10 PM

hmmm i had a bb gun at 5 or so...then i got my first real gun when i was 11...a single shot 20 ga..then for my 12th birthday it was a 22 bolt...turkey hunted with the 20 ga that spring then squirrel with both...borrowed a 308 from my grandma(was my grandfathers) and took my first deer with it at age 12....bought my first gun at age 13...my mauser....and just bought my second at 16 today.....but i have many...dad bought me all but the mauser and my muzzleloader i bought today...we do most of our shooting and hunting together so if he wants to use a gun he knows where they are at.....his turkey gun was being worked on before the season....i told him he could take my new remington out and i would take my mossberg if his wasnt done! i have a great dad...its only getting better as we get older......i know i will be teaching him to muzzleload next year when he sees me having a blast this year!! good luck with your kids....get them hooked...they never want to do anything else.....i still think i was born with a fishing rod...i never got into school sports or anything....and even now i have no intrest....all i want to do is hunt or fish..i love it!

TREEDOG · 08-08-2003, 11:39 PM

My wife bought my first gun for me when we where dating it was a 20 guage nef single shot that counted for lots of critters back then. That was about 5 years ago then she helped me buy a nef 30-06 and now a 270 wsm model 70. Next year im gettin a Encore probly with a 7mm-08 barrel.

MR300WM · 08-09-2003, 06:55 AM

Just to let you all know that it is never to late I got my first at about 34 yrs of age. I bought one daughter a 410 when she was around 13 and my son his first at about 12 and my youngest daughter got hers at 11.

PABuck_HNTR · 08-09-2003, 07:12 AM

Daisy Red Ryder @ age 7 or 8. And my first deer rifle was a Savage bolt action 30-30 @ age 12.